Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe (Xbox Live Arcade) Review
Posted by Rod Oracheski on 11.09.2007
Sometimes those classics you remember should stay in your memory...
I can remember spending a lot of time on the 'old' version of Speedball, though I got into it a few years after it first released for the Amiga. Then the sequel arrived, one of those rare ones that improves on every single aspect of the original game, and took all my free time.
It was remarkably addicting, bashing your way through games and racking up points by putting the ball into the net, hitting targets or just smashing your opponents flat. So when they announced that Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe would be arriving on Xbox Live Arcade I was immediately looking forward to the release.
Unfortunately, Speedball 2 happens to be one of those games that were better off left to the gilded confines of memory...
The basic gameplay is still there. You still get points by scoring goals - though that's still the most boring way to do it. You can also hit the targets on the sides of the arena, which is at least a little more challenging.
And, of course, there's always flattening your opponents for points...
Unfortunately, what the game boils down to is mashing buttons repeatedly and going in the wrong direction - also repeatedly.
You see, the view is zoomed in on the court so that it scrolls both horizontally and vertically. The game basically forces you to pass the ball, as running with it for an extended time is a ticket to the hospital, so you'll be tossing it up blindly a great deal - then taking control of a nearby character to track it down.
Unfortunately, you can't manually select which character you want to control, that's all done automatically, so you'll often wind up controlling the 'wrong' guy. It also hampers your defensive abilities, as you'll often find that your intended tackle becomes a dive in the wrong direction. It's particularly annoying when you're given control of your goaltender and dive out of the way as your opponent fires the ball into your open net.
While the on-field gameplay might not have held up over the years, one part of the system is still just as good as ever - the off-field customization options. Earning money to spend on improving your team's stats still adds a considerable amount of motivation to do well.
The 411:
If you're into the nostalgia, then Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe might be worth picking up. For better or worse, it's a faithful recreation of the 90's classic. For everyone else, I'd recommend checking out that free demo first.
Graphics
6.5
You can try out both Classic and Enhanced graphics, but you're still looking at a game that's years old.
Gameplay
5.0
The eight-way movement and aiming hasn't aged well, but the team customization is still interesting.
Sound
6.0
There's really not much here, but what there is proves serviceable enough. Good voice samples.
Lasting Appeal
5.0
This one is really for the nostalgia - don't expect it to swallow up hours and hours anymore.
Fun Factor
6.5
The fun of running over the opposition is tempered by the frustrating controls.
